Since Disney alum and singer/actress Christy Carlson Romano used to play perfectionist Ren Stevens on Even Stevens and was the voice of the world-saving Kim Possible, it shouldn’t come as any surprise that Christy has a can-do attitude in real life — that helped plan her gorgeous DIYNew Year’s Eve wedding last year!

Christy and her now-husband, producer Brendan Rooney, wed on December 31, 2013, in a breathtakingly beautiful wedding in Alberta, Canada, at the Fairmont Banff Springs (aptly nicknamed “The Castle in the Rockies”). And even though you can’t exactly DIY the gorgeous snow-topped mountain view that her venue has (it’s seriously unreal), Christy transformed the space with romantic, intimate details that she chose to make herself — and told The Knot just how she planned it all out!

But one word of DIY advice from her? “Breathe deep and dream big, ladies (or gentlemen!)”

(PS: Get more advice straight from Christy on Twitter! If you tweet at her @ChristyRomano with the hashtag #AskChristyDIY, she’d love to answer your DIY wedding questions!)

The Knot: Why did you choose to go the DIY route for some of your wedding decor? Have you always loved crafting?

Christy Carlson Romano: Ultimately, I chose the DIY route because I didn’t want to pay for things I could figure out how to make for the exact size and color I needed in my venue (that was almost 2,000 miles away from Los Angeles). I used my stress as a motivator to make my wedding, my way!

I’m not sure I would call myself naturally crafty, but I found that once you have craft materials in your house (twine, a hot glue gun, fabric), you can pull off thoughtful personalized gifts and decor for all of your events. Needless to say, I was glued to Pinterest for many months (especially in the bathtub!). I even ended up reusing some of my decor for my sister-in-law’s baby shower and recycled my tulle skirt idea for my dessert table. DIY gets easier the more you do it! So watch out — it’s super addictive.

I wanted to make sure that the objects I was going to DIY were not only great-looking and cheerful, but also mobile. I chose not to ship my favors, tablecloths and mirrored picture frames and packed them up in suitcases instead. They traveled unbelievably well!

I ordered from Canadian wholesale vendors and my husband picked up and dropped off the rentals on the way up the mountain (aka our venue) and we dropped them off just in time to catch our plane home! I had a long list of things I could DIY. After I constructed a diagram of wedding venue, I literally counted how many vases I would need to create a tiered candle look and how we could repurpose them during the reception, how many rose petals I would need to glue on my clear printing paper to go under said vases (mine came in packs of several hundred), how much cloth I would need from our local fashion district to create sequin runners on each table and square coverlets for my sweetheart and dessert tables. And don’t forget the tulle! Get more than you think you need.

In terms of extras, like my gold spray-painted plastic animals, I Googled what I wasn’t able to figure out and explored YouTube for tutorials on things like centerpieces. I invested in rubber gloves, spray masks and plenty of gold metallic spray paint — and they looked fantastic!

We splurged on our invitations, but the rest of the stationery was self-designed. I also self-printed envelopes when extras came back and they looked almost as good as the ones the stationer made. Choosing professional-looking fonts made a big difference, plus, they’re available for free online.

My awesome bridesmaids helped me stuff personalized rhinestone-ribboned welcome baskets with winter themed gifts, like hand warmers, personalized labeled vanilla flavored lip gloss (that was DIY and inexpensive when bought in wholesale) and labeled water. I also encourage you brides to get a monogrammed stamp with your wedding date on it. I ended up using it on a lot of stationery and the muslin bags that held spearmint bath salts for the welcome bag. It also makes a lovely keepsake.

And though my bouquet was purchased, I designed it from Pinterest inspiration boards. Our centerpiece flowers were actually from Costco (which are on the way from the Calgary Airport to Banff). We stored them in the hotel refrigerator the night before the wedding with plenty of plant food. The key to me pulling it all together was thinking outside the box and getting there five days early with my mom to collect myself before everyone else arrived.

My gold charger plates and various other small items were found at the Dollar Tree (which I pre-scouted).

TK: What’s the best tip you have for couples considering DIY for their wedding?

CCR: Please make sure your engagement isn’t rushed, if you can help it. I had two years to plan, which is why I was able to achieve all of this. DIY takes some trial and error from the idea to the execution, plus tremendous amount of help from family and friends to expedite the processes.

TK: How did winter and the holiday season inspire your decor choices?

CCR: It informed everything — the colors, textures, fabrics, flowers, smells and tastes. Make sure your wedding details envelope all the senses. I am still bummed I couldn’t budget the fan that pumped different smells into the air during different points of the reception. But then again, I’m not a Kardashian.

TK: Did a New Year’s Eve wedding date hold any significance for you and Brendan?

CCR: New Year’s Eve was my dream wedding date. I booked it at our venue twice! We pushed our engagement an extra year to make sure it worked out with our school and work schedules. So I rebooked it and didn’t take no for an answer on a very competitive date and venue. I basically got the first bid because I started earlier than any other bride would have.

In my head, all women are Disney Princesses, so I’m huge nerd when it comes to magical moments. But the date also holds poetic significance to my husband and me. We are both huge holiday people, but New Year’s Eve is a moment where everyone stops and reflects on the blessings they have with those around them. Love is eternally renewed by being married on this day and I couldn’t think of a more positive omen for a marriage. The mood within our wedding party was very much this as well. We ended up having fireworks off the balcony which was a huge plus! Everyone we cared about had a smile on their face and that made us even happier.

TK: Did you go on a honeymoon?

CCR: We didn’t find it prudent to take a honeymoon because we had a destination wedding with so many activities (dogsledding, s’mores, ice skating and skiing). To be honest, I was tired from the planning! We were offered a wonderful all-inclusive stay at a five-star hotel in Cancun, but since I’m currently finishing my degree at Barnard College, we may wait till May for a postgraduate celebration.

TK: What are your plans for your first anniversary?

CCR: Brendan and I will be in Los Angeles and most likely at a beach spa in Orange County close to where his family lives. We’ll probably have a spa day and then toast with our personalized Waterford champagne flutes (a gift from my awesome mother-in-law) and, per tradition, unfreeze a piece of our wedding cake. Then its off to an annual New Year’s Eve soiree with family! Getting married on New Year’s Eve doesn’t mean you should have to be alone! Well, for after midnight maybe…

Crochet isn’t just for doilies and coffee cozies anymore. One enterprising bride (Reddit user alkikat) went the whole nine yards (ahem, yarns?) for her wedding style when she took her crochet talents to the ultimate test and made a full-blown wedding dress! Using a fairly common pattern (the pineapple pattern) she spent 5 months creating her wedding look during her commute to and from work. Not bad, considering her wedding dress only set her back $30, including the lining. “My commute time couldn’t be used for anything else anyway,” the crafty bride explains. The dress is both machine washable and doesn’t wrinkle or need special care. Plus, we think it ended up being a super flattering look! And, talk about reusing your wedding dress — she plans to switch out the linings with different colors so she can wear the dress over and over. Take a look at this cool stop-motion video she created of her crochet process, below.

Sometimes even the smallest DIY wedding projects can be hard to pull off, so we’re in awe of these three brides who took on the challenge of making their own wedding dresses. They had a vision of how they’d look as they walked down the aisle, so, with the help of some talented friends and family, they went to work. The result was three runway-worthy wedding dresses totally unique to each bride. See their beautiful gowns and the story behind each one below!

“When I started looking for my dress, I wasn’t really sure what I was looking for, but I knew I wasn’t finding it. I realized I liked elements of different dresses, but I couldn’t find one that combined them all. I started looking for custom dress designers, but again, nothing. My mom nonchalantly mentioned how special it would be if my aunt — her sister — was able to make the dress. My aunt is an upholsterer, and she had never made a wedding dress before,” Brooke explains. “Through a few very basic sketches, clips of pictures, emails, phone conversations and lots of trial and error, [my aunt and I] designed and created my beautiful dress with a needle and thread. The moments I had with my mom, aunt and grandmother during this process are indescribable.”

Michelle found her gown at a vintage shop in Miami and redesigned it to fit her style. The mermaid dress featured a layered pink tulle skirt and die-cut overlay with floral embellishments in gold and pastels. She also custom-embellished her own shoes to match!

The groom’s sister, the designer and owner of Illume Gowns in California, helped Jessica create her gown. The cream-colored sheath dress had embroidered lace cap sleeves and a layered skirt with scalloped lace edging on each tier.

This wedding favors display is our clever-meets-cute cloud nine, and it’s as easy to make as holding down the trigger on a can of spray paint and using scissors. Set up the display near your reception exit with a coordinating floral garland to give your guests something sweet as they leave your party. Complete the look by matching the candy in the tins to your wedding colors or customizing chocolates with your monogram or a favorite image (like these chocolate mints from The Knot Shop!). Thanks to creative stylist Jessica Bailey of Evite, we have the easy steps to making the magnetic favor board for your reception below.

1. Apply 1-2 coats of chalkboard spray paint to the magnet board. Let dry.
2. Cut 1.5-inch strips of magnet tape and attach to the bottoms of tins.
3. Write a message to wedding guests on the board using a chalkboard marker.
4. Fill tins with candy and arrange on board.
5. Use floral wire to attach garland to board.

With all the brights we’re seeing in weddings right now, it’s only right to accessorize your summer cocktails with punchy neon accents. Gather the supplies for neon coasters and frilly stirrers for a DIY bridal shower activity, or make a set of coasters to gift to your bridesmaids. For extra party flair, use neon ink to stamp happy-hour-worthy sayings onto cocktail napkins. (We love these ones from A Sensible Habit). Then cut up limes, watermelon and oranges, and freeze in ice-cube trays to make a colorful splash in your cocktail (may we suggest the Tequila Sunrise Punch?). See how to make these buzz-worthy projects for your soiree below!

Turn to the tassel when you’re looking for a fresh take on DIY wedding decor. Cut up and twist a batch made from tissue paper or mylar, or scout out the traditional cord tassels you’ve seen decorating curtain tie backs and graduation caps. (You can find them at stores that sell fabric trimmings and supplies for upholstery.) See below for all the ways you can work this celebratory flourish into your wedding day style!

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Anyone that knows my friend April Harton knows how much she loves Harry Potter, so when she told me her boyfriend Jordan LaRoche had proposed (he got down on one knee and presented her ring on the tip of an Ollivander wand while the Harry Potter soundtrack played in the background) I couldn’t wait to see what they would come up with for their wedding day.

The invitations were just a glimpse of the magic to come. When I received mine, which was secured with a Hogwarts wax seal, I knew the wedding was going to be amazing — and it was! Inside the envelope was an intricately designed “Marital Map,” inspired by the infamous Marauder’s Map, a magical document that reveals all of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Camelot at The Holy Grail in Epping, New Hampshire could not have been a more perfect venue, with the exception of Hogwarts itself. The building had a thatched roof, cobblestone courtyard and felt like a quaint English village. April and Jordan gave the space the wizardry touch with hand-painted hanging signs and a signpost that could have come straight from the streets of Hogsmeade. “Hedwig’s Theme” replaced the traditional wedding march and the rest of the enchanting Harry Potter soundtrack played softly as guests arrived at the ceremony.

If that wasn’t cool enough, walking into the reception space was like being transported to the Great Hall in Hogwarts Castle. We were greeted by a sorting hat and golden snitch that guarded the seating chart and a unique display of sorcerous trinkets. Candles hung in mid air as if floating over the round tables, which were laid with silver plates and linens in Gryffindor colors. April and Jordan made all of the centerpieces themselves with handmade paperback and comic book flowers, cauldrons, medieval sculptures, potion bottles and stacks of books (Harry Potter of course!). There was even polyjuice potion to sip on during cocktail hour and a special appearance by Dumbledore.

We promise: Kale is as beautiful in your centerpieces as it is healthy in your salads. Stylist and Tulipina Floral Design owner Kiana Underwood takes us through the steps to making a lush organic centerpiece that would fit in just right at your prewedding parties and reception. See the how-to below and find more photos here!

1. To create a flowing floral centerpiece, start with a pedestal vase. Construct a base in the bowl of the vessel with ornamental kale. You’ll build the rest of the arrangement on top and around the kale.

Tip: Choose your vase after you pick your flowers so you can make sure they complement each other.

2. Create the asymmetry of the centerpiece by placing a taller hydrangea branch on the opposite side of the kale.

3. Add the climbing roses both underneath and above the hydrangea. Place a couple of kale stems in between the blooms.

4. Add the single roses to the arrangement. As you put flowers in the vase, take a step back to examine your arrangement and check that you’re placing flowers and foliage just where you need them.

Tip: Create your arrangement while looking in a mirror, so you can see all sides (as your guests will!).

5. Finally, add a single clematis bloom for color and texture.

Learn more about how to create meaningful, beautiful floral centerpieces and bouquets by watching Kiana’s 3-day course on CreativeLive, your destination to learn skills from experts around the world through video workshops! Kiana’s centerpiece workshop will broadcast (for free!) starting May 25.

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For your guests who come bearing gifts you’ll want to create a pretty spot for them to unload your registry picks and honeyfund checks. A cute card box is a way to add personality to the gift table– just match it to your reception style by choosing the right type of container. Repurpose, decorate or accessorize these 18 creative card box ideas for your reception.

Even if you aren’t going for total DIY style, there could be a place for the clothespin in your wedding plans. Decorated with glitter and spray paint or left as plain wood, clothespins are the problem-solving connectors answering age-old questions like: How do I display my escort cards? How do I get my menus to stand up? How do I make an inexpensive backdrop for my cake table? With clothespins available in various sizes and with the option to throw back to the traditional clothes peg, you’ve got an array of choices on how to incorporate this inexpensive DIY supply. Here are 12 of the best reasons clothespins can work for your wedding.

1. You can sprinkle them with glitter and clip your escort cards to framed chicken wire.